Grand Duchess and other possible suitors - what if..

[Robert_Hall]

W's "gayness" has been discussed elsewhere on this board, to generally bemused reaction I will say. I often think of him as a "motorcycle butch accountant" type. Too pompous for my taste & circle.
But, I do wonder if Ella could have tamed his ego a bit? Fascinating hypothetical scenario.  I do like very much the imagining Cecelie & whatever son she & W. may have produced in this fantasy.
Another thing though, her "charge" GD Marie seems to have had a rather harsh opinion of her. I winder if this would have been the case if she indeed did have children of her own?
Cheers,
Robert

[Jane]

Ella wanted to be near her sister, and probably considered marriage and all that went with it, secondary

Perhaps I am I misunderstanding you, HerrKaiser, but Ella was the first to marry into the Russian Imperial familly, in 1884.  She had a full ten years in Russia before her sister married the Tsarevich.  I doubt proximity to siblings really factored into Ella's decision, considering she had no way of predicting Alix and Nicky's marriage a decade after hers.

Having said that, it is interesting to speculate whether Ella would have had a beneficial and soothing impact on Kaiser Wilhelm, had she been receptive to his romantic advances.  Her presence didn't seem to do much to improve Sergei's PR and reputation.

[ashanti01]

I don't know what Serge's feeling were towards Ella. He seemed protective of her and loved to shower with jewlery, but it seemed almost like a father & daughter relationship.

Willy seemed to have truely cared for Ella and even kept a photo of her at his desk throughout his life. This fact alone states he always cared for her. I think she might have had a positive influence on him.

[grandduchessella]

I don't know what Serge's feeling were towards Ella. He seemed protective of her and loved to shower with jewlery, but it seemed almost like a father & daughter relationship.

Willy seemed to have truely cared for Ella and even kept a photo of her at his desk throughout his life. This fact alone states he always cared for her. I think she might have had a positive influence on him.

He also spent a good deal of time at the University at Bonn writing quite sappy poetry to her. I would love to get a look at that! He was the only one who quieted him down too during family get-togethers. He was content to sit at her feet and listen to her speak and when she was laid up with a hurt ankle sat and read to her.

[ashanti01]

Like I had said, I think had she accepted Willy's offer things may have turned out differently for her and she might even have had children

[gem_10]

He also spent a good deal of time at the University at Bonn writing quite sappy poetry to her. I would love to get a look at that! He was the only one who quieted him down too during family get-togethers. He was content to sit at her feet and listen to her speak and when she was laid up with a hurt ankle sat and read to her.

Oh I want to see William's poems for Ella. I think he's such a romantic person!

[grandduchessella]

I wish I'd ever seen an example--I would think he burned it. Every bio referencing his infatuation with her mentions the poems though but since I don't have the books in front of me, I wonder who the source is. Maybe it was discussed between QV and Vicky? I think this is probably the only really romantic thing I've heard of him doing--part of why I find the relationship so bittersweet. Shows a much different facet to his character than the oft-diffident way his relationship with Dona is often portrayed.

[grandduchessella]

Like I had said, I think had she accepted Willy's offer things may have turned out differently for her and she might even have had children

Things would've been much different, no doubt. Everything has a ripple effect on everything else so who's to say which life would've been better/worse. I can't help but think they both would've been better off, but would those who benefited by Ella's goodness once she established the convent? Or would she have had an equal effect through charitable organizations in Germany? If the problem was with Serge, I think it's a safe bet she would've had children--William obviously didn't have any trouble! If the problem was with her, who knows what the effect would've been on Germany. The next in line would've been Henry and, unless Ella's marriage changed his fate, his eldest son was a hemophiliac. But, as I said, the 'butterfly effect' as its known (that a butterly flapping its wings here can cause a typhoon in Japan or something like that--basically that every actions can affect seemingly unrelated actions) could've changed Henry eventually marrying Irene and, almost certainly, Alix marrying Nicholas.

[BaronessSophie]

Oh, how different things would have been for sure! Perhaps World War I would never have occured!

[felix]

Did Ella and William ever reconcile ?

[bluetoria]

I doubt she changed her opinion of him but they were 'on the same side' when it came to Alix marrying Nicky...and were sitting in the same roomat the time of their engagement in Coburg. Also the Kaiser expressed sympathy for Ella at the time of Serge's death and went to great lengths to get her out of Russia during the revolution....though she declined his invitation.

[grandduchessella]

I isolated this picture of who I think is Ella standing next to Wilhelm at Henry & Irene's wedding.

[bluetoria]

I isolated this picture of who I think is Ella standing next to Wilhelm at Henry & Irene's wedding.

Wow! That was clever!   It does look like Ella (& in it she looks like Alix!)

[PrinceEddy1864]

I always thought that was Alix standing next to Willy, but that was only because it just looked like her. It makes more sence that it would be Ella, as Alix would have only been like 16 at the time of Irene's wedding. So I too think it is Ella.

[grandduchessella]

Was Alix a bridesmaid for Irene? I don't know about Prussian or Hessian customs.

I feel bad for Wilhelm--having loved Ella so much and having to stand there while Henry marries his own Hessian princess.